Improvement in feed-water apparatus for steam-boilers



2 Sheets--Sheef1.v W. H. IENKINS.

Feed-Water Apparatus for Steam-Boilers. No 168 398, Paxenwdoctwan.

mig A mvp N PEYRS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHRR, WASHINGTON, D CA 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

w. H. JENKINS. Feed-Water Apparatus for Steam-Boilers.

Patented Oct. 5,1875.

No.l68,398.

RFETERS. PHDYO-UTMUGRAFHEH, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED S'rnjrns WILLIAM H. JENKINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEED-WATER APPARATUS FOR STEAM-BOWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,398., dated October 5, 1875 g application iiled August 2s, 1875.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. JENKINS, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Boiler-Feeders and Ret-urn Steam-Traps, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a vertical section through center, as shown by line 3 3 in Fig. 4, which is a plan above the flanges. Fig. 5 is a plan of chamber S and valve O.

The object of m yinvention is to reduce the first cost and increase the reliability of automatic boiler-feeders and return steam-traps, thereby reducing thedaugerof explosion, and effecting a saving in fuel, bygthe combination, in a boiler-feeder, ofthe four-ported valve-seat C, Fig. 1, with the plug-valve U and counterbalanced valve O and ball G, connected to the valveseat G by the pipe P, and operated by the oat E 5 also, the combination with them of the pipe I and the pipe N, for admitting' steam into the case B, and the pipe D, for discharging steam from the case B into the Water-supply pipe F, thereby facilitating the condensa-` tion, and forming' a vacuum more rapidly; also, the double-seated valve J with the pipe N, and the pocket M and valve R, for expelling the air and sediment from the case B.

The nature of my invention or improvement consists of a four-ported valve-seat with twoported plug valve, counter-balanced valve, pipes, and double-seated valve, arranged and combined together with check-valves and with a closed case, in the manner. and so as to operate essentially as hereinafter explained.

B, Fig. 1, is a cast-iron case, made in two parts, in any shape or proportions that may be found most suitable for the purpose i11- tended, provided with flanges, gum-joint, bolts, nuts, stufling-box, 85o., to make it sufliciently steam-tight. S is a small cast-iron chamber, Figs. l and 5, on the upper part of case B, to accommodate the motion and action of the counterbalanced valve and lever O G. provided, like case B, with flanges, gum-joint, bolts, 85e., to make it steam-tight. G, Fig. l,

is a four-ported valve-seat, in which is tted an ordinary plug-valve, U.

I is a livesteam pipe, connected to the valve-seat C on one side. N is an equilibrium-pipe, connected tothe seat C on the opposite side, through which the steam, after passing through the plug-valve U, passes to the upper part of the case B. H is also a live-steam pipe, connected to pipes I and Y, .through which steam is admitted to the chamber S. D is a discharge-pipe for steam, connected to the upper port ofthe valve-seat (l, through which the steam, after entering' the lower port, and passing through the valve U, is dischargedinto the water-supply pipe F beyond the check-valve A. E is a metal case of any size or proportion that may loe found to best suit the purpose, filled with Wood or other light substance, and connected to one end of' a lever, T',the other end oi' which` is connected to the plug-valve U. V, Fig. 4, is a steel stein, connected by a socket on its inside end to the plug-valve U, its other end extending to the outside of the case B through the stuffing-box W. On the outside end of the stem V is fastened another lever, X, on which is a weight, K, sufficiently heavy to counterbalance the entire weight of the case E minus half the Weight of its displacement, thereby causing the case E to act by positive displacement as a float. To the lower part of the guide b of the counterbalanced valve O, Figs. l, 2, and 3, the pipe P Vis attached by the socket c, so as to reduce the area of the opening c between the case B and the end of the socket c to something less than the area of the counterbalanced valve O. The other end of the pipe P, Fig. 1, is connected firmly to the lower portofthe valve-seat C. M is a case or pocket, attached to the feed-pipe Q between the caseB and the check-valve L, for the purpose of catching any dirt or sediment that may pass into the machine before it reaches the check-valve L.

R is a valve attached to the lower part of the pocket M, for the purpose of allowing' the air to escape when starting the machine, where it has to lift its water, and at the same time blow out any dirt or sediment that may have collected therein.

The mode of operation, when the feeder has to lift its water, is as follows: Admit the steam to the pipes I and H by opening the valve in the 'steampipe Y, Fig. l, which will lill the chamber S and pipe I, and close the counterbalanced valve O bythe steam blowing through it out into the discharge-pipe D and supplypipe F. Then open the valve R and press the ball K on the lever X downward, thus raising the float E to the 'upper part of the case B, as indicated by the dotted lines E', which will 'bring the port in the plug-valve II in such relation to the ports on each side of the seat G as to admit live steam from the pipe I through the plug-valve U and pipe N into the case B. After the case B has become lled with steam close the valve R, and allow'the ball K to rise and the fioat E to resume its original position, which will bring the plug-valve U in such relation to the upper and lower ports of the seat C as to reopen the passage through the plug valve U and the pipe D into the water-supply pipe F, so that the charge of steam in the case B will be discharged, passing through the opening a into the pipe P and valve U, into the watensupply pipe F, where it will be condensed and form a vacuum both in the case B and the water-supply pipe F, which will raise `the water, open the check-valve A, and iill the case B. The float E, resting on the surface of the water, will, as it rises, turn the plug-valve U and admit live steam from the pipe I in the same manner as before described, until an equilibrium of pressure has been established between the boiler and the case B. The counterbalanced valve O, being closed by the steampressure on its upper surface, will, as soon asv the equilibrium is established, be opened by means of the weight G. The pressure in the case B will close the check-valve A. The weight of the column of water in the case B (the feeder being at least thirty inches above the water-line in the boiler) will raise the check-valve L, and the water will then, by its own gravity, iiow into the boiler through the feed-pipe Q. As the level ofthe water in the case B falls, the float E resting on its surface will also fall until the plug-valveU closes the ports connecting with the pipes I and N, after which the equilibrium will be maintained by the steam that comes through the port of the counterbalanced Valve O. The oat E will continue to fall until the plug-valve U opens communication between the pipes P and D, which will start a direct current from the counterbalaneed valve O into the water-supply pipe F. The direct condensation ensuing will increase the current through the port of the valve O, and draw it to its seat, when the pressure of the steam from thc boiler on its upper surface will hold it shut until an equilibrium is again established. The pressure in the case B will also be reduced by the steam passing through the opening a into the pipe I?, then into the watersupply pipe F, being there condensed, forminga vacuum, raising the check-valve A, and lling the case B with water, as before described, the pressure in the boiler having previously closed the checkvalve L as soon as the pressure within the case B began to decrease.

The steam-pipe Y extends through the top of the dome or upper part of the boiler, as shown in Plate l, to the water-line, and as the water opens and closes the pipe Y by the rising and'falling of the water in the boiler the machine is stopped and started respectively.

When,as before explained, the oat E opens the ports communicating between the pipes I and N, to admit steam to establish an equilibrium between the case B vand the boiler, steam will pass up and into the case B if the water is below the end of the pipe Y; but if the water is above the end of the pipe Y water will pass into the case B and supply the pressure by iilling the machine, which will balance the weight of the Water in the feeder and stop its feeding until the water -in the boiler has fallen below the pipe Y, when the water in the pipe Y will run out, and steam pass up in its place, causing the water in the feeder to liow into the boiler by gravity, as before explained.

When used as a non-lifting feeder or return steam-trap the operation is as follows: The double-seated valve J is used, as shown in Fig. l, only when the feeder receives the waterv from pressure, owing into the case B, as from a tank above the machine, or when used as a return steam-trap. The valve J closes the lower port when driven upward, and the upper port when falling downward. When the water is admitted to the case B it will fall to the bottom of said case, and as the level of the water rises within the case the air will be driven to the upper part, when, as it forms a slight pressure, the valve J then resting on its upper seat will be raised by it, and the air allowed to escape. When the oat E arrives at the required height steam will be admitted from the pipe I through the plug-valve U into the pipe N, and through it directly against the lower end of the double valve J, driving it up to its lower seat, closing the port, and preventing the esca-pe of steam, and remaining in that position until ythe pressure within the case B has decreased sufliciently to allow it to fall by its own weight to its upper seat, where it will remain until steam is again admitted, when it will again be driven up to its lower seat, as before explained.

I am aware that the principle of working water into a boiler by gravity under an equilibrium of pressure; also, that of causing the' water to flow into the case B by a decreaseof pressure within said case, caused by condensation; also, the automatic manner of starting and stopping the iow of water through the feed-pipe Q by extending the steam-pipe Y down to the surface ofthe water in the boiler; also, that of using a solid case, E, and lever T, lever X, and counterbalancing-weight K as a loat, working by positive displacement, are all old. I therefore make no claim to said principles, but confine my claims to parts in combination with said principles, which facilitate condensation, enabling a vacuum to form more rapidly, thereby increasing the capacity and AAM 'F-J-w y lever O Gr, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the Valve-seat G, ease B, and pipe N, the double-seated valve J, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The ease B and Water-pipe Q, in oornbi nation with the valve L, pocket M, and valve R, constructed and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The eounterbalance-valve O and ball G, arranged on the upper part of the ease, in combination with pipe P and H, substantially as herein specified.

6. The four-port valve-seat G,tl1e pipes D, F, I, N, P, cheek-valve A, and ease B, all combined and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

WM. H. JENKlNS.

Witnesses:

A. C. SELTZER, R. BEATTY. 

